President Donald Trump may not get a Nobel Peace Prize, but unlike President Barack Obama — whose policies resulted in more violence in Libya, Syria, and Iraq — he actually deserves one.
On June 12, President Trump became the first U.S. President to meet a North Korean head of state and achieved what was once thought impossible: a signed commitment for the full denuclearization of the reclusive North Korea regime. The President accomplished this thanks to his unparalleled natural instincts for deal-making and his no-nonsense approach to negotiating with foreign nations.
The historic significance of this Singapore accord cannot be overstated. Past attempts at diplomacy with North Korea have effectively resulted in the growth of the North Korean nuclear buildup. President Trump took the first step in achieving what the global community has been trying and failing to do since at least 1985.
This achievement is even more impressive considering that the North Korean regime was rattling its saber less than three months ago and that the regime was bragging about detonating a thermonuclear bomb at the end of last year. The agreement, therefore, is nothing short of a diplomatic miracle.
We shouldn’t be surprised. Making deals is what President Trump does better than anyone. The mainstream media threw a collective fit when the President sent a letter to Kim Jong Un canceling the summit last month. They said it was indicative of Trump’s recklessness and lack of diplomatic tact. It is now clear, however, that the President knew exactly what he was doing — the “Art of the Deal” is far more than just a book title.
In Singapore, President Trump was able to get Kim Jong Un and the North Korean regime to commit to full denuclearization, to return the remains of American POWs, and to destroy a missile testing site — without ending any economic sanctions. In return, the President pledged to stop what the North Korean regime sees as provocative joint-military exercises with South Korea.
President Trump uses the Art of the Deal playbook tactics for leverage very successfully. For instance, the President managed to bring China back to the trade negotiating table after slapping them with sanctions and was able to score serious trade concessions with South Korea using the same tactic.
He knows that there is no use in carrying a big stick unless you actually demonstrate you’re willing to use it.
While partisan Democrats and neoconservative warmongers in the U.S. denounced the summit, the international community recognized the historic achievement for what it truly was.
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson praised the “constructive” talks and called North Korea’s commitment to denuclearization an “important first step.” South Korean president Moon Jae-in said the summit helped “break down the last remaining Cold War legacy,” while EU high representative Federica Mogherini praised the summit as a “crucial and necessary” step towards peace and said that the EU is ready to support future negotiations.
During and after the election, President Trump’s critics insisted that it would be impossible for the mercurial billionaire businessman to master the art of diplomacy, an area in which he was supposedly the most unqualified.
Yet, President Trump did in months what multiple presidents failed to achieve in decades.
This President may never get a major award from the world’s globalists and elite academics and think tank wonks, but he doesn’t need one.
Peace is the only prize Donald Trump wants.
Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer is a retired senior intelligence operations officer who served more than 20 years with the U.S. Army. He is now vice president for operations of the London Center for Policy Research and author of NY Times bestselling memoir “Operation Dark Heart: Spycraft and Special Operations on the Frontlines of Afghanistan.”
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of The Daily Caller.
